I've got my hands in a lot of pots currently. Consequently, I'm not getting anywhere fast with any of them. Here's a rundown of what's being produced, both for Pathfinder and for my various attempts to break into board and card games, and how you can get sneak peeks of each of these products.
1: The Ethermancer Base Class
What is it?
Words of Power meets the simplifying power of a design meant for one class alone.
What makes it special?
The Ethermancer is a spell point class that regenerates points on a round-by-round basis. This allows an Ethermancer to be balanced in damage output against a fighter, but also do limited bursts like a blaster caster. He can also create permanent magic items by reducing his maximum spell points for as long as the items exist.
In essence, it's a combination of the W*****k and the In****um from the old 3.5 days with some modern twists thrown in there for kicks.
How can I get ahold of it?
The Ethermancer is on the cusp of testing. Simply drop me a PM with a proper e-mail and I'll include you when I quit being a git and put the ten or so hours the class needs to work into it. The various "manifestations", or "words" if we continue the Words of Power metaphor, are complete for the blast segment of the class, as well as nearly done for self buffs and item creation. The buffs on others are too powerful and need a rewrite.
2: The Eternal Innkeeper of Dun Karaz
What is it?
This will be my first published adventure and I've been talking about it since May.
What makes it special?
Using a web plot development format, Dun Karaz allows for three primary endings, as well as flow that is totally different for each pathway, effectively making it play like one of the old text games, but with less jerky parsing. Random encounters are not random. Instead, the GM has enough options to pick the one that flows the best in an organic fashion. This includes puzzles that are only accessible in certain playthroughs, amusing side encounters with story relevance, and so on. Yes, it most definitely is a railroad design, but it's a railroad with enough switchboxes to make it feel like the illusion of free will within what I feel is a rather good story. As an extra bonus, this format literally offers more replay value than the competition because seeing all of the content is impossible.
How can I get ahold of it?
Dun Karaz has been tested internally and won't need any opinions until the switchbox system is built for external use. If you know a cartographer who'd write up one of the two maps I need for design credit and a pile of PDFs, though, please let me know.
3: Hands Off Me Booty!
What is it?
When two pirates with absolutely pimping admiral hats hate each other very, very much, they challenge each other to broadsides at dawn! Hilarity ensues.
What makes it special?
Hands Off Me Booty! is a worker placement bluff strategy game. The cook, gunner, navigator, first mate, and a host of scurvy dogs are placed face down on one of five deck sections: the Bow, Forward Deck, Amidships, After Deck, and Stern. The Cap'n is placed face up, as his pimping hat is so pimping that it makes him impossible not to spot clearly without the aid of a spyglass. Players glare at each other, alter placements, and generally psych each other out until both are finally happy with placement.
Shots are nominated, with much wheeling of cannons as the navigator reports how the enemy's cannons are pointing. In other words, there's no strict ruleset and changing your mind and being a dick at this point is not only allowed, it's encouraged. You're a pirate, after all!
Once shots are nominated, crew are flipped face-up, their bonuses are tallied, scurvy dogs are loaded into the cannons for extra sacrificial firepower (or thrown in front of cannonballs to save the precious ship), and damage is resolved. Repeat until a ship sinks by destroying 3 deck sections or by destroying the section containing the Cap'n, thus killing him.
How can I get ahold of it?
A small iterative change has been done to the game and it now needs more beta testers. A print and play document, though rather ugly, is ready to go, as is a ruleset. Just let me know!
4: Friday Night Fragfest
What is it?
Friday Night Fragfest is a miniatures combat game featuring gladiator robots decked out in NASCAR-style advertising.
What makes it special?
Operating under a simple modular format, the initial 40 units designed by myself can be readily added to using a guide that explains unit design. That's right, this is a wargame with rules for making your own units! The game operates under a rules-moderate format that makes every decision important, including granting a bonus for not using all of your actions each turn (Crazy, right?) but also moves in a slow enough fashion that a single misplay is not likely to end the game.
How can I get ahold of it?
FNF is currently pre-alpha, but I'll be conferring with Paizo to see how they handle board and card games when the time comes.
5: Kobolds: Mine, Minion, Mine!
What is it?
Kobolds: Mine, Minion, Mine! is a worker placement game in which rival kobold tribes compete to dig up the most shinies in order to impress (and not get eaten by) a black dragon that finally got fed up with kobold politics. Kobolds use various magic items and traps to protect their Shinystash(tm) from freeloading tribes, while entire tribes undergo rapid identity changes (pirates, ninjas, trapmasters, shamans, jiggolos, etc.) to keep up with the changing climate.
What makes it special?
I'll be frank. The "militaristic blood stain waiting to happen" schtick has been done before. But it's always funny.
How can I get ahold of it?
Kobolds: Mine, Minion, Mine! will be the most expensive game to produce. As such, it's at the back of the line for building and testing. Not available presently.